Topkapi Palace

Distance from Istanbul Airport: 12.7mi / 20.5km

Sultanahmet, Istanbul
Now one of Istanbul’s leading museums, the Topkapi Palace was the Imperial residence of the Great Ottoman Empire for almost 400 years until the reign of Abdülmecid. The palace was subjected to many changes as it passed from sultan to sultan, but today houses a spectacular museum famed for its large collections of Chinese and Japanese porcelain.

Haghia Sophia

Haghia Sophia

Distance from Istanbul Airport: 12.7mi / 20.6km

Sultanhmet, Istanbul
Considered the eighth wonder of the world, this Byzantine Church is one of the largest ancient buildings to be found anywhere. It is the most significant masterpiece of Byzantine art and Eastern Christian church architecture and was completed in 532 during Justinian’s reign. The church covers a surface of 7,570 square meters and its dome is 55.6 meters high and 32 meters wide and is carried by 107 columns. The vast building, with its range of architectural styles, is one of Istanbul’s best known landmarks and few visitors to the city miss a trip to view its extraordinary interior.

Blue Mosque

Distance from Istanbul Airport: 12.3mi / 19.7km

Sultanhamet, Istanbul
Dating from the 17th century, this is one of the largest Mosques in Istanbul and is one of the principal features on the city’s skyline. The only mosque in the world with six minarets, its real fame derives most from its beautiful interior tiles with flower and tree motifs. On the east side of the mosque is the Arasta, a bazaar for the various tradesmen guilds.

Suleymaniye Camii

Distance from Istanbul Airport: 12.4mi / 20.0km

Istanbul
The mosque of Suleyman the Magnificent is yet another of the city’s great landmarks set in a complex of surrounding buildings capped by over 400 domes. Its design represents an important development in Ottoman mosque architecture.

Kariye Camii

Kariye Camii (St-Savior inChora)

Distance from Istanbul Airport: 15.2mi / 24.5km

Istanbul
Worth seeing for its famous mosaics which constitute one of the world’s most important examples of early Byzantine pictorial art. The mosaics tell the story of the New Testament from the birth of the Virgin Mary to a scene showing the Resurrection of Christ. The building was turned into a mosque during the reign of Bayezit II. The surrounding neighbourhood has many old Ottoman wooden houses.

Yerebatan Sarayi (Sunken Palace)

Distance from Istanbul Airport: 13.1mi / 21.2km

Istanbul
A walkway just above the water allows you to view the forest of stone pillars that support this vast under ground cistern. Built in 532 AD it was at one time supplied by the Valens aqueduct.

Eski Sark Eserleri Muzesi (Archeological Museums)

Distance from Istanbul Airport: 13.2mi / 21.3km

1st Court of Topkapi, Istanbul
Contains the Museum of Antiquities and the Museum of Oriental Antiquities, both of which contain incredible artifacts.

Kapali Carsi (Grand Bazaar)

Distance from Istanbul Airport: 12.5mi / 20.1km

Istanbul
A vast labyrinth of little streets lined with over 4000 shops selling rugs, pottery, jewellery and countless other goodies.